This invention relates to an improved pump bracket. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement in the design of a gear pump""s internal bracket such that one bracket design can be used for various pump sealing options.
In a rotary internal gear pump, a pump housing is connected to a bearing carrier by use of a bracket. Depending upon the pump configuration or application, an inboard or outboard mechanical seal arrangement may be needed to allow for proper pump operation. Also for certain applications, an outboard packing arrangement may be utilized to effectively seal the pump housing. To accommodate the different requirements for seal arrangements, several different bracket designs are typically produced to allow for the repositioning of the seal and packing material depending on whether an inboard or outboard arrangement is needed and whether mechanical seals or packing is to be utilized.
Previous bracket designs have accomplished the repositioning of the seals from an inboard to an outboard position by producing separate brackets for each application or pump design. These designs require the manufacturer to produce and inventory several models of brackets which is costly and consumes storage space.
A need has arisen for an improved design for a pump bracket. The present invention discloses an improved design for a bracket for a pump that allows the repositioning of the seal or packing material from an inboard to an outboard position utilizing a reversible pump bracket adapted to accommodate different arrangements.
The disclosed pump bracket is adapted to allow for the inboard or outboard mounting of a mechanical seal or packing material to accommodate different pump configurations and applications. The application disclosed herein is for use with an internal gear pump but such a bracket can be used with external gear pumps, vane pumps, gerotor pumps etc. The universal pump bracket includes a first flange that is adapted to be connected to a pump housing and a second flange, which is laterally displaced from the first flange, and adapted to be connected to a bearing carrier. The first and second flanges are separated by the central bridge of the bracket. The bracket also includes a central bore that extends through the bracket and is adapted to receive the input shaft which drives the rotor of the pump. The central bore is adapted to accept a bushing. The bushing is provided to aid in supporting the shaft to prevent unwanted movement. A first annular recess is formed in the central bore and is adapted to accept a mechanical seal or a packing material. The mechanical seal is equipped with a spring to apply pressure to the sealing surfaces to prevent unwanted leakage.
The reversible first and second flanges are designed so that they have similar mounting faces and the same bolt patterns thereby allowing the bracket to be reversed so the first flange is in contact with the pump housing and the second flange is in contact with the pump bearing carrier. The benefit of this reversible arrangement is to allow the same bracket to be used with different pump configurations. If an inboard mechanical seal arrangement is desired, the bracket can be installed so the seal is facing the inboard direction. Alternatively, if an outboard seal arrangement or packing arrangement is desired, the bracket can be installed so the seal or packing faces the outboard direction. The reversibility of the bracket allows the bracket to be used for multiple sealing arrangements, eliminating the need to manufacture and store multiple separate bracket designs.